Portable door-latch.



T. w. EDWARDS. PORTABLE DOOR LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, I915- Patented Apr. 11,1916.

a z INVENTOR ATTORNEY WIT ESSES I dad/JIM THOMAS W. EDWARDS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

' PORTABLE DOOR-LATCH.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS W. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Door-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in portable door latches, and has for its primary object the provision of a portable door latch which will be composed of the minimum number of parts, which may be readily applied and secured to the door frame and which will be highly eflicient in use.

The invention provision of a door latch of this character in which the door-engaging member may be 'hinged to the stationary member adapted to :be secured to the edge of the door frame and the door-engaging member constructed 1n such manner that it will be adapted to engage two faces of the door when pressure is. applied to the outer face of the door andthereby prevent the door from being forced open. a

The invention has for a further ob ect,

the provision of a portable door latch of the above-stated character which will be of such construction and operation that the door engaging member may be readily drawn away from engagement with the door after pressing the latter outwardly when it is desired to permit the door to be opened.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construccombination and arrangement of parts pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved form of portable door latch; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the same in open position; Fig. 3 is a side elevatlon of the same looking at one side thereof with the parts in open position; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section through a portion of a door and the adjacent door frame, showmg the door secured in closed position by my 1mproved door latch; Fig. is an elevation of the same.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

has for another ob'ect the J The hinged door-engaging member 10 is designates the stationary plate Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

7 Application filed September 14, 1915. 1 Serial No. 50,651

which is provided at its inner end with the bevel teeth 2 projecting at an angle vfrom the corners of saidstationary plate to bite into the side of the door frame 3 opposite the vertical free edge of the door 4 when the stationary plate is applied to the door frame 3.

The stationary plate 1 is also provided with a suitable opening 5 through which the securing member .6 may be engaged for securely fastening the stationary plate 1 in position, if desired. The opposite or free end of the stationary plate 1 has extended portions rolled back to form the hingememhers 7 to receive a'hinge pin 8 which is engaged .through the hinge member 9 and formed by extending back a portion of one endlof the hinged door engaging member 10.

bent upon itself about midway its vertical edges, as shown at 11, so that it may readily V engage the inner face of the door 4 and the door edge engaging spring finger 12is struck out offlthe hinged door engaging member 10 and curved back from about the point 11 and extended in an opposite direction to the face of the door 4.

When it is desired to use this portable door latch, the stationary plate 1 is properly secured to the edge of the door frame 3 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and the inner vertical corner of the door 4 engaged between the body of the hinged door engaging member 10 and the finger 12 thereof and the door then swung to closed position,

shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will be seen that any pressure against the outer face of the door 4 to open the same will simply force the inner vertical corner of the door 4 tightly into the locking corner 13 of the'door engaging member 10 at the point at which the finger 12 connects with the body of said door engaging member 10, thereby causing the finger 12 to bind against the vertical outer or forward edge of the door 4 while the free end of the body of the member 10 bears against the inner face of said door 4, thereby locking the door 4' in closed position, as the member 10 can not under these conditions swing upon the hinge pin 8. When it is desired to release the door 4 to open the same, however, the door 4 is first pressed outwardly, forcing the free end of the finger 12 into the tongue receiving'recess 14 formed by striking out and bending back the portion 15 of the body of the stationary plate 1. This will permit the inner vertical corner of the door lto pass over' the finger l2 and beyond the free end thereof. The operators finger or a tool may then be engaged with the free end of the jaw engaging member 10 to swing the same upon the hinge pin 8 to open position, permitting the door .L to freely swing to open position. The stationary plate 1 may then be removed from the door frame 3 and the device folded into compact form until again required for use.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that this form of portable door latch may be readily carried in the pocket or a suitcase and applied to any door as desired, it being especially desirable for the purpose of locking the doors in rooms of hotels and the like when traveling.

l/Vhile the preferred embodiments of the invention have been clearly shown and described, it will be understood that minor changes in details of construction, andarrangement of parts mayv be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the same.

What is claimed is:

1. A portabledoorlatch comprising a stationary plate, means for securing saidstationary plate to a door frame and preventing turning of said stationary plate, and a forked door engaging; member carried by said stationary plate to look a curved door in closed position within said door frame.

2. A portable door latch comprising a stationary plate adapted to be secured to a doorframe, a door engaging member hinged to said stationary plate to lock a door in closed position within said door frame, said door engaging member being adapted for engagement with one face of said door, and a door engaging finger carried by said door engaging member for engagement with a second face of said door at right angles to the first mentioned face thereof.

3. A portable door latch comprising a stationary. plate having a door jamb-engaging finger struckoutof the same near its outer end, a door-engagingplate hinged to the outer end of said stationary plate, and a centrally curved door-engaging finger struck out of said door-engaging" plate and adapted at times to engage withthe firstmentioned finger.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMns COULTER, ELrAs J .Jorrn.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioneroffatents,

Washington, D, 0,, 

